FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in general, relates to a process and apparatus for separating and winding ribbon and more particularly to a process and apparatus for separating and winding rubber compound ribbon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Rubber mixed compound ribbons are increasingly used in various industries. Requirement of customer for automatic feed of ribbons to the extruder or injection machine has increased substantially. The rubber mixed compound ribbons are normally produced by cutting the flat sheet of rubber mixed compound with a continuous array of scissors type cutters and winding the cut ribbons on a winding drum in a form of ribbons. Typically, the width of the winding drum is same as that of the width of the flat sheet of rubber mixed compound and it is not possible to introduce any gap between the ribbons while winding them on the winding drum. Since there is no gap between the ribbons, hence they tend to stick together making it difficult to unwind them resulting in sluggish production. Hence, there exists a need for a process and apparatus for cutting and winding for satisfying the high production of rubber mixed compound ribbons.
The subject matter disclosed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for cutting ribbons of a rubber mixed compound is disclosed. The
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apparatus comprises of a first conveyer for receiving and conveying a sheet of rubber mixed compound and an array of cutters for cutting the sheet into a plurality of parallel strips forming ribbons. The apparatus further comprises of at least one vertical separator for receiving the ribbons and introducing a gap between the ribbons while moving the ribbons vertically downward and a second conveyer for receiving and transferring the separated ribbons to a winding drum.
The present invention discloses a process of cutting ribbons of a rubber mixed compound so that a gap may be introduce between the ribbons before winding the ribbons on a winding drum. The disclosed process includes cutting a sheet of rubber mixed compound by an array of knifes to form a number of parallel ribbon strips. The parallel ribbon strips being hanged vertically after being cut and a gap is introduced between the ribbon strips while they are moving vertically. Winding the strips on a winding drum after a gap has been introduced in between the ribbon strips.
According to an embodiment, an apparatus for cutting ribbons of a rubber mixed compound is disclosed. The disclosed apparatus comprises a conveyor system for supplying a sheet of a rubber mixed compound, an array of cutters for cutting the rubber mixed compound sheet into ribbon strips a vertical separator for introducing a gap between the ribbon strips and a winding drum for winding the ribbon strips.
According to another embodiment, a horizontal separator arranged in a substantially horizontal direction is provided either before or after the vertical separator. According to yet another embodiment two horizontal separators are provided, one before the vertical separator and other after the vertical separator.
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According to yet another embodiment apart from vertical and horizontal separators an angular separator may be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of the present invention will become better understood when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of an apparatus for cutting ribbons of a rubber mixed compound according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of the vertical separator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 illustrates a front view of the vertical separator according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of the winding assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A process and apparatus of cutting a sheet of rubber mixed compound is disclosed. The process includes cutting the sheet of rubber mixed compound with an array of cutters to form a number of parallel ribbon. Further, vertically hanging the parallel ribbon and introducing a gap between the ribbons while the ribbons are moving vertically downward and winding the strips on a winding drum after the gap has been introduced in between the ribbons. According to an embodiment, the ribbons are passed through one or more horizontal separators. According to another embodiment, a telc powder or calcium carbonate is applied on the horizontal separators.
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Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of an apparatus for cutting ribbons of a rubber mixed compound according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated the apparatus comprises a conveyor system 1 for supplying a sheet of a rubber mixed compound, an array of cutters 2 for cutting the rubber mixed compound sheet into ribbon strips, a vertical separator 3 for introducing a gap between the ribbon strips and a winding drum 4 for winding the ribbon strips. The sheet of the rubber mixed compound is provided through the conveyor system 1. The conveyor system 1 feeds the sheet of the rubber mixed compound to an array of cutters 2. The cutter 2 may be arranged at equal distance from each other to produce ribbons of equal width or may be arranged at varied distances from each other so as provide ribbons of varied width. In an embodiment of the invention, the size of rubber mixed compound ribbons varies from a width 30mm to 100mm and thickness 3mm to 20mm. According to yet another embodiment the numbers of ribbon strips may also vary from 4 to 20 pieces at one time.
According to another embodiment, a first horizon separator 5 may be provided to transfer the ribbons, after being cut by the cutters, to the vertical separator 3. According to yet another embodiment, the first horizon separator 5 may imparts a small gap between the adjacent ribbons. According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the first horizon separator 5 may be a horizontal induction board. The horizontal induction board may be configured over the conveyor belt 1 with gap of 1mm to 5mm, thickness of 1mm to 5mm and width of 20mm to 100mm. Further the length of the horizontal induction board depends on the distance between the cutter 2 and the end pulley of the conveyor belt 1.
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According to yet further embodiment, a powder such as talc or calcium carbonate may be applied on the surface of the horizontal separator 5 to prevent the sticky problem by the uncured ribbons.
Figure 2 and figure 3 illustrate vertical separator 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The width of the vertical separate 3 at the top is less than the width at the bottom. The vertical separate 3 has a plurality of contours 6. Each contour receives one ribbon from the cutter 2 or from the first horizon separator 5 in case the first horizon separator 5 is provided at the top and towards the end, the contours impart a gap between adjacent ribbons. The difference in the width at the top of the vertical separator 3 and at the bottom of the vertical separator 3 may vary from 1 mm to 30 mm. According to a preferred embodiment the size of the vertical separator may be width 50mm to 500mm, length 200mm to 800mm and thickness 1mm to 8mm.
According to yet another embodiment, the vertical separator 3 has an interrupting board 7 as shown in figure 1. The interrupting board 7 further provides support to the vertical separator 3. The interrupting board 7 also helps in guiding the ribbons in downward direction, in case the ribbons keep moving forward in horizontal direction due to stiffness (high green modulus). According to a preferred embodiment the size of interrupting board is width 100mm to 500mm, length 500 to 1000mm and thickness 2mm to 10mm.
According to yet another embodiment a second conveyor 8 and a second horizontal separators 9, as shown in figure 1, may be provided at the end of the vertical separator 3. The second conveyor 8 and the second horizontal separators 9 collects the separated ribbons and transferred them to the winding drum 4.
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According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, an angular separator 10 may be provided to further guide the ribbons from the second horizontal separators 9 to the winding drum 4.
Figure 4 illustrates the winding drum 4 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The winding drum 4 comprising a shaft 11, plurality of rings 12 middle stopper 13 and end stopper 14. The rings 12 are arranged on the shaft and the total number of rings 12 depends on the number and size for ribbons. According to a preferred embodiment the width of rings 12 is 30mm to 100mm, the outer diameter of rings 12 is 50mm to 100mm and the inner diameter is 30mm to 80mm. The rings 12 may be made of a durable material such as stainless steel or plastics such as polypropylene, HDPE. The rings 12 are arranged between the end stoppers 14. The middle stopper 13 may be arranged in the center of the shaft 11. The shaft 11 may be rotated by a PLC unit (not shown).
While specific language has been used to describe the invention, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.
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WE CLAIM:
1. An apparatus for cutting ribbons of a rubber mixed compound comprising:
a first conveyer for receiving and conveying a sheet of rubber mixed compound,
an array of cutters for cutting the sheet into a plurality of parallel strips forming ribbons,
at least one vertical separator for receiving the ribbons and introducing a gap between the ribbons while moving the ribbons vertically downward; and
a second conveyer for receiving and transferring the separated ribbons to a winding drum.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a first horizontal separator between the first conveyor and the vertical separator.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a second horizontal separator between the vertical separator and the winding drum.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises an angular separator between the vertical separator and the winding drum.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and 4 wherein the angular separator is provided between the second horizontal separator and the winding drum.
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6. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5 wherein the horizons separator comprises an induction board.
7. The apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the width of the vertical separator at a top end is less than the width of the vertical separator at a bottom.
8. The apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the vertical separator has plurality of contours, each contour receives one ribbon and imparts a gap between the adjacent ribbon strips.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the winding drum comprises a shaft having plurality of rings and at least one stopper.
10. A process of cutting a sheet of rubber mixed compound comprising:
cutting the sheet of rubber mixed compound with an array of cutters to form a number of parallel ribbon;
vertically hanging the parallel ribbon and introducing a gap between the ribbon while the ribbon are moving vertically downward; and
winding the strips on a winding drum after the gap has been introduced in between the ribbon.
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11. The process of cutting a sheet of rubber mixed compound as claimed in claim 10,
wherein said ribbons are passed through one or more horizontal separators.
12. The process of cutting a sheet of rubber mixed compound as claimed in claim 11,
wherein a telc powder or calcium carbonate is applied on the horizontal separators.